Author: Scott McCaffrey

A Northern Virginia native, Scott McCaffrey has four decades of reporting, editing and newsroom experience in the local area plus Florida, South Carolina and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. He spent 26 years as editor of the Sun Gazette newspaper chain. For Local News Now, he covers government and civic issues in Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church.

News

Falls Church police recruitment lags behind other efforts to fill personnel vacancies

By Scott McCaffrey
Falls Church police officer at event (via City of Falls Church)

The Falls Church city government continues to chip away at its staff vacancies, but faces ongoing challenges with public safety recruitment.

The 8% vacancy rate recorded across all city departments in early November “is, I think, the lowest we’ve been since the pandemic,” City Manager Wyatt Shields told members of the City Council’s government-operations committee on Nov. 26.

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News

Arlington pedestrian committee seeks to remain relevant despite reduced responsibilities

By Scott McCaffrey
A pedestrian with an umbrella crosses N. Lexington St. in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Members of the Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC) are looking for ways to stay relevant despite new limitations on their responsibilities.

After County Manager Mark Schwartz directed the committee to focus less on individual capital projects, members are discussing working through commissions that report to the County Board to provide input on issues they deem important.

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Sports

Arlington athletes team up to unload 2,000 Christmas trees for Optimist sale

By Scott McCaffrey
Unloading Optimist Christmas trees (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Athletes from three Arlington high schools provided the muscle to unload 2,000 Christmas trees in preparation for an annual fundraising sale.

Members of the Yorktown, Washington-Liberty and Wakefield crew teams, plus the Yorktown and W-L lacrosse squads, were up early this morning (Wednesday) to remove the Optimist Club of Arlington’s trees from three tractor-trailers that had arrived overnight from Galax, Va.

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News

Revised markers honoring Arlington civic figures coming to Shirlington

By Scott McCaffrey
Current placement of Campbell markers in Shirlington (via Arlington County)

Updated markers are coming to Shirlington next year in honor of a husband and wife who made waves in Arlington civic life for more than half a century.

The Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HARLB) has approved a request from Federal Realty Investment Trust to replace the existing markers honoring Edmund and Elizabeth Campbell.

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Schools

APS considers new program for high schoolers needing mental health breaks

By Scott McCaffrey
Darrell Sampson, former executive director of student services (screenshot via APS)

Arlington Public Schools staff are proposing a new self-contained high school program for students who face recurring mental health challenges.

The proposed Flexible Learning Program would include dedicated clinical staff in addition to classroom teachers. It could serve up to 100 students at a time and would be located in the same Pentagon City office building that will house Arlington Community High School starting next fall.

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News

Arlington’s state delegates hope to get more done in 2026 after Democratic wins

By Scott McCaffrey
Del. Alfonso Lopez and Del. Adele McClure at a recent County Board work session (via Arlington County)

Arlington’s state delegates aim to use a stronger majority and a new Democratic governor to push through legislation that had previously stalled.

Dels. Patrick Hope (D-1), Adele McClure (D-2) and Alfonso Lopez (D-3) all plan to return to past legislative priorities, resubmitting some bills and advancing new ones.

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Schools

APS considers changes to block scheduling at high schools in 2027-28

By Scott McCaffrey
Washington-Liberty High School (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The Arlington School Board is considering a possible change to the daily schedules at local high schools.

Staff laid out possible changes to the current “seven-period block schedule” at a School Board work session on Nov. 18. Options on the table, in addition to maintaining the status quo, include:

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News

Falls Church officials consider future of affordable housing in Virginia Village

By Scott McCaffrey
One of the Virginia Village quadplex apartment buildings owned by Falls Church (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Next year could be make-or-break time for Falls Church officials’ desire to do something big on the affordable-housing front.

The city, through its Economic Development Authority, already owns nine small apartment properties in the Virginia Village community near Annandale Road. At a Nov. 19 meeting between elected officials and staff, discussion turned to moving forward on a consolidated plan for housing the neighborhood.

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News

Local homelessness advocate and Rotary Club member receives leadership award

By Scott McCaffrey
Liz Nohra, holding plaque, with dignitaries at ISCC luncheon (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A member of the Arlington Rotary Club and leader at an Arlington homelessness nonprofit has received a local leadership award.

Liz Nohra received the Inter-Service Club Council of Arlington’s 2025 Community Leader Award at the organization’s 86th annual awards luncheon, held at Washington Golf & Country Club last week.

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News

Sen. Favola receives top honor from Arlington Bar Foundation

By Scott McCaffrey
Sen. Barbara Favola is flanked by Courtney McCarthy and Mark Cumming at the Bar Foundation awards presentation (photo courtesy Rob Willey)

For her efforts in support of Virginia women, children and families, one of Arlington’s state senators has received the Arlington County Bar Foundation’s highest honor.

Sen. Barbara Favola (D-40) was presented with the 35th annual William Winston Award during the foundation’s annual luncheon, held at Washington Golf & Country Club last week.

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News

New oral history project launches with volunteers from Arlington Historical Society

By Scott McCaffrey
Jeanine Brundage and Karen Darner explore Arlington Historical Museum exhibition (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The Arlington Historical Society has launched a new initiative designed to capture present-day voices for future study and understanding.

In preparation for pilot projects — including discussions with those involved in development in the Shirlington area as well as the Crystal City Underground — co-chairs Sean Denniston and Marty Suydam recently completed a five-week training session on oral histories courtesy of the Office of Historic Alexandria.

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